Railroad-switch



(No Model.) 2 vSheets--Sheet 1.

A. F. RAIRIG-l.A

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 594,215. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A.P.RAIR1GH.

RAILROAD SWITCH. No. 594,215, I Patented Nov. 23,1897.

W1K/mmm 'L' ARCHIE F. RAIRIGH, OF BARNARDS, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILRoAo-swVroi-i.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 594,215, datedNovember 23, 1897. Appiication nea March 12, 1897. serai No. 627,152.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARCI-IIE F. RAIRIGH, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Barnards, in the county of Armstrong and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Switches, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inautomatic switches, and is particularly adapted for use onstreetrailways and the like, and has for its object to provide a switchwhich may be conveniently and easily operated from the car.

To this end the invention resides in the novel construction,combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morespecifically described, and particularly pointed out in the claim, saidconstruction being arranged in such a manner that vehicles in passingover the trips provided to operate the switch will not injure the same.

The invention further resides in its simplicity of construction,durability, effectiveness, and cheapness in the cost of manufacture, andin describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccommpanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andwherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of atrack with the switch and all parts in position. Fig. 2 is a detail viewof the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of aportion of a car, showing the mechanism provided to engage the trip andoperate the switch. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the same.

Referring now to the drawings by referenceletters, a represents a casingwhich is arranged at the sides of the rail and is adapted to be flushwith the paving, and extending upward through a slot b in said casing isthe trip c, which is supported on a shaft d, journaled in bearings e ewithin the casing. Attached to these trips, one of which is provided ateach side of the track, is a rod f, the other end of which is pivotallyattached to triangular-shaped levers g g, fulcrumed at h and connectedby rods 7c and Za to a plate Z,

which carries an upwardly-extending pin m, engagingin the switch-rail n,

In order to depress the trips from the carplatform and thus operate theswitch, I have secured to the side brace o of the trucka block p, whichis recessed to receive the slide q, carrying at its lower end a rolleror wheel r, which engages the'trip c. This slide is actuatedby curvedrods or levers s, having their lower ends connected by a springt andprovided with eyelets a to receive the operatingcords a2, which extendupwardly over pulleys a3, secured on the underneath side of thecar-platform, and beneath pulleys a4, carried by a foot-lever d5, theend of said cord being secured by a keeperh, and to the car-licor. Thecurved rods or levers s are fulcrumed at h2 to the block p and extendinwardly and engage upon a pin b3, carried near the upper end of theslide q, said slide being retracted by means of a spring b4, attachedtothe upper end thereof and to the block p. One of these trips beingarranged at each end of the car, the operation is as follows: Theoperator depresses the foot-lever a5 and through this medium draws thelever end of one of the curved rods or levers outward, and by reason ofthe upper end of the curved rod engaging the pin b3 will force the slidedownward, bringing the rolleri` into engagement with the trip c,depressing the same and operating the switchtongue through the medium ofthe rod f, anglelever g, and rod k or o, as the case may be.

It will be noted from' reference to Fig. 3 that the device is soarranged that the switch may be operated from either end of the car, andalso that as soon as the foot-pressure has been relieved from the levera5 the spring b4 will retract the slide q, withdrawing the roller r fromits engagement.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In an automatic switch a casing arranged at the sides of the track, atrip journaled in said casing, connections between said trips and theswitch-tongue, in combination with an operating mechanism attached tothe carloo' track, consisting of a slide arranged in ablock, L curvedrod or lever pvotally secured to said block, one arm of said leverengaging a lug near the top of the slide, an operating-rope secured tothe opposite end of the curved le- Ver, and engaging a foot-leveroperating in the oar-platform, springs adapted to return the Curvedlevers to their normal position,

and a spring adapted to retract the slide, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ARGHIE F. RAIRIGI-I. Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, GEO. B. PARKER.

